Brand Identity

Brand comes into existence to satisfy certain

qualities, to serve certain targets, to symbolise
some values and to send for some emotions.
Brand identity is the purpose for which the brand is
borne. It draws upon the brands roots and heritage.
It is not just the brand image, which is a set of +ve
psychological overtones..
The aim of brand positioning is to identify and take
possession of a strong purchasing rational.
Many qualities of the brand or the values of the
brand stands may not be reflected in the image but
they form the essence of the brand identity, which
has a strategic intent.
Aaker defines brand identity as the sum of the
brand expressed in terms of product, organisation,
person and symbol

Brands are much more than logos

Brand
Awareness

Brand
Equity
Brand
Associations

Brand
Loyalty

Brand equityAssets and liabilities connected to the brand

Chapter 9 - Building and
Managing Brand Equity

PPT 9-3

Figure 9.1

Nike Core Identity & Essence

Illustrative

Brand Essence
Brand Identity Model

Performing at Your Best

Core Identity

Excellence

Exhilaration

Performing
at Your
Best
Individual
Success

Chapter 9 - Building and

Managing Brand Equity

Technological
Advancement

PPT 9-4

Excellence/Winning
Exhilaration
Individual Success
Technological Advancement

Customization
Value for
Performance

Direct Model

Simple
As Dell

Incredible Service
Dell Responds

Close to Customer
Understands needs

Equipment

Communication
Chapter 9 - Building and
Managing Brand Equity

Latest
Technology

PPT 9-5

Personality
Competent, Successful
Serious (not Apple)
Approachable

 The conception of brand identity was mentioned for the

first time in Europe by Kapferer, 1986.
it could be claimed that the conception of brand identity
includes the uniqueness, meaning, aim, values, and
personality and provides a possibility to position the
brand better, and, thus, achieve the competitive
advantage.
According to Jean Noel Kapferer, brand identity could be
defined by answering the following questions:
- What is the aim and individual vision of a brand?
- What makes a brand distinguished?
- How satisfaction could be achieved?
- What is brands equity?
- What are brand competence, validity and legitimacy?
- What are the features of its recognition

 Brand Identity Prism is often used by marketers to gauge the

identity for any brand. But before the application of any model,
few obvious questions which come to our mind are: What is it?
When should it be used?
How to use it?
Now suppose if a product or a brand (taking the liberty of
equating product with brand ) was a person, how would he look
like? What traits would he have? Would he be warm, cold,
aggressive, approachable or smart?
Brand identity prism helps us provide answers to these questions.
Ok so the next logical question is when to use it?
I would say practically everywhere. Understanding of the identity
would help design your web presence better, would decide the
positioning and have an effect on all marketing collaterals.
The best way to understand the model is to call up a meeting of
all department heads and ask questions, lot of questions.
The model has 6 dimensions on which a brand is to be evaluate

David Aakers framework of brand

identity
Brand Identity

Brand as
a product

Product
Scope
Product
Attribute
s
Uses
Users
Country
of origin

As an
organisatio
n
Organisat
ion
Attributes
(e.g.
innovation
, genuine
customer
care)
Local vs.
Global

As a person

As a
symbol

Personali
ty
(energetic
, rugged)
Brand
Customer
Relations
hips
(friends,
advisors)

Visual
Imagery
and
Metaphor
Brand
Image

 The six facets of brand identity (also called the brand

prism)
1. A brand has physical specificities and qualities its
physique. It is the brands backbone and its tangible added
value. If brand is the flower then its physique is its stem.
Without the stem the flower dies.

Focusing on know how and classic positioning, relying

on some key benefits and product and brand attributes,
traditionally branding works.

What is it concretely ? What does it do? What does it

look like? The physical facet also covers the flagship
product that is representative of the brands qualities.

There are several delicate issues regarding physical

facet : take for example the dark colour of coke.

many brands have problems with their physical facet

because their functional value is week. An image based
brand must also deliver material benefit. Brands are like
two legged value adding systems.

2. A brand has personality. By communicating it gradually builds up

character. It shows what kind of a person it would be if living.

the easiest way of creating instant personality is to give the brand

spokesperson or a figurehead, whether real or symbolic.

In the prism , brand identity is the personality facet of the source. It

should not be confused with the customer reflected image , which is a
portrayal of the ideal receiver.

Aaker even went ahead with the creation of the brand personality
scale.

computers and electronic gadgets are were mostly associated with the
up to date trait as ice creams with sensuous trait.

These data demonstrate scale is measuring personality but physical

traits of the brand.

 Aakers conceptualisation of brand personality is

inherited from the old habit of ad agencies describing
brand personality in their creative briefs and copy
strategy everything that was not related to the
products tangible benefits. J.N. Kepferer
3. Brand as a culture: there is no cult brand without a
brand culture. It is the set of values feeding the
brands inspiration. It is the source of brands
aspirational power. Mercedes embodies German values.
Countries of origin are also great cultural reservoirs
for brands. Coke stands for Americans. Toyota
epitomizes the Japanese. Fiat for Italy.
Brand culture plays an important role in
differentiating the brand. Luxury brands are affected
by this facet because it refers to their sources, their
fundamental ideals and to their set of values.

4. Brand is a Relationship: this is particularly true

in service industries. Nike encourages to let
loose Just do it . IBM symbolizes orderliness
where as Apple conveys friendliness. Mont Blank
depicts power
5. Brand as a customer reflection: we often say
Brand for young people, show offs. Reflection
and target often gets mixed. Target describes
the brands potential purchasers. Reflecting the
customer is not describing the customer. It is
how s/he wishes to be seen as a result of using
the brand. Ex : Hair dye.
All brands must control their customers
reflection.
6. Finally a Brand speaks to our self-image:
through our attitude towards certain brands, we
indeed develop a certain type of inner
relationship with ourselves.

 The constructed source physique and personality has

to be seen as a person whereas reflection and self
image is the typical receiver
Brand has social aspects which defines its external
expression (physique, relationship and reflections) and
aspects that are incorporated in the brand itself called
internalizations (personality, culture and self image)
Physique: It the basis of the brand. It may include
product features, symbols and attributes
Personality: which the brand will assume if it were a
person
Culture: its origin and the values it stands for
Relationship: between the brand and the customer.
Beliefs and associations in the human world
Reflections: what does the brand represent in the
customers mind
Self image: how does the customer sees himself vis-avis the brand. Ex: he may see himself as incapable to
buy a BMW car.

 All six elements emphasize brand identity. The prism of

identity originated from the basic conception that brand
is marked by the gift of speech. Brands can exist only
then when they communicate.
Physical appearance and personality allow determining
the sender. The recipient is defined by consumer
reflection and self-image. The last two elements of brand
identity: culture and relationship link the sender and the
recipient
The prism of brand identity maintains a vertical
subdivision: the elements on the left such as physical
appearance, relationship and consumer reflection are
social and provide brand with external expression
(image) and are visible.
The elements on the right such as personality, culture
and consumer self-image are connected with the inside
of a brand and its soul.

Constructed
Source
E
X
T
E
R
N
A
L
I
S
A
T
I
O
N

Personality

Physique

Relations
hip

Culture

reflections

J.N. KAPFERER

Self image

Constructed
recipient

I
N
T
E
R
N
A
L
I
S
A
T
I
O
N

Brand Identity Prism - Nike

Physical product
Sports and
fitness

Personality
Like Jordan, Woods

Relation

Culture

Sponsorship,
Ethics

American
Just do It!

Reflection

Self image

Aggressive,
Provocative,
In-your-face

Cool
Athlete

Brand Identity Prism - Adidas

Physical product
Sports and
fitness

Relation
Quality and
Heritage

Personality
Traditional, Conservative, Collective

Culture
European
Traditional

Reflection
True sportsmanship
Strong work ethic
A good team player

Self-Image
Relates more to
competing than to
winning

 Summing on the prism of brand identity it can be noted

that it is the unit of brand identity as a live system of
elements, possessing internal and external sides and
determining possible limits for brand development and
variation
Clues for strong identity prism
identity must be concise, sharp and interesting. It must
stimulate creative ideas, serve as a springboard for brand
activation. Finally they must help us to decide when an
action falls within brand territory and when it does not.
A good identity prism is recognisable by the following
formal characteristics.
1. There are few words to each facet.
2. The words are not the same on different facets.
3. All words have strength and are not lukewarm:
identity is what makes a brand stand out.
4. Facets are filled up with image traits that derive
from the last usage and attitude study.

5. There is a lot of redundancy between facets,

the same word being used many times.
Although related each facet addresses a
different dimension of brand uniqueness.
6. Most of the words are looking for consensus
instead of looking for sharpness. To produce
ideas creative people need flesh: an identity
with soul, body, forms, a real profile not an
average profile where nothing really stands
out.
BRAND DNA : how can we define the
boundaries of brand identity?
Brand gains its independence little by little
as it matures.
With time it looses some of its freedom; while
gaining in conviction.